Agency library providing free sack lunches this summer

The Agency Public Library will be providing free sack lunches to kids three days a week this summer.

Wed, 28 May 2014 21:31:02 GMT —

A small town library is stepping up to help fight hunger and food insecurity in a big way this summer.

For the first time ever, the Agency Public Library will be handing out free sack lunches to kids. Library Director Kim Schwartz is also a substitute teacher and Cardinal School District, so she knows how many children in the area depend on free and reduced lunches during the school year.

Since she didn't know of any summer meal programs in Agency, Schwartz decided to start one herself.

"A lot of statistics that just kept popping up and I though, I can help out our small community, I think," she said. "It just came to me and I decided to go with it."

The lunches will be given out every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday starting June 3. Schwartz said she is planning to keep the lunches simple and include a sandwich, fruit and vegetables. Since the sack lunches were a "spur of the moment idea", Schwartz said she hasn't made a decision on any restrictions as to who can come for the lunches. Most likely, she will play the first few weeks by ear and see how big the demand is. As long as the lunches are helping the people who needed to be helped, Schwartz said the mission will be accomplished.